Broken
by thehopefulone
Summary: Lorelai and Christopher have more issues than they even know. Set season 7, while Richard is in the hospital. (Luke/Lorelai pairing.)
1. The cost of being a Gilmore

"Chris..." Lorelai began, pulling her sweater tighter around her midsection. She found this ridiculous- standing outside a hospital telling her husband that he should be there for her as her dad went in for open heart surgery- but with Christopher she wasn't surprised. "My _husband _isn't here for me. And that's not okay."

She snapped the phone shut and went back into the hospital, really wishing that they could work things out but knowing that he wouldn't make things easy.

* * *

**3 Days Later**

She was surprised that he came to the inn. But he wanted to go somewhere else to talk, so she told Sookie that she was taking a quick lunch break and they headed home.

She began making a pot of coffee, and he watched her.

"You wanted to talk?" She says. "Then talk."

"You have no right to treat me this way. I'm your husband, Lore, I deserve some respect." He says angrily.

"You wanted respect? Then you should've been there! I needed you!"

"I had things to do, Lore, things with Gigi. I came as soon as I could have."

"You only stayed an hour."

"Which was as long as I could."

"Christopher!" She yells desperately, noticing the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. "I can't stand this! You need to call. Just tell me. "

"It's none of your business what I do."

"Then it's none of your business when I talk to Luke and what about."

She should have seen it coming, but she didn't. The slap landed hard on her cheek, turning the fair flesh dark red. Her hand landed lightly over the mark, and she looked up at him with big, blue eyes stinging with tears.

"You are my wife." He said, and walked out of the house with no rush in his step.

She stood there for a really long time. She didn't move when Paul Anka barked to be let out. She didn't move when Rory called and left a message on the machine. She didn't move when the coffee was done. She just stood there crying.

Finally she couldn't take it anymore. She ran out of the house and all the way to the safest place she had ever known.

When she pulled open the door to Luke's it was packed full from the lunch rush, and everyone saw here with that humiliating red mark, which was starting to swell and bruise.

Luke just took her hand and pulled her upstairs.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you anywhere else? Do you want me to call someone? I can get you a lawyer."

"Luke I..." She swallowed hard, and he stopped babbling to look at her. "I just need someone..." She fell into his shoulder crying, and he instinctively wrapped both arms around her, one hand petting her hair softly.

"Shhh." He whispers. "It's okay. You're okay." He comforts her like a child.

With him, she felt safe.

* * *

She woke up in her own bed and no one beside her. It was still dark.

Upon flipping on her side she see's Luke, asleep in the chair by her bed, a baseball bat in his hands.

In case Christopher tries to hurt her. Again.

_Maybe it's not so bad. _She thinks._ It's Rory's dad. She has always wanted me to marry him. And now I have. If everything ends now she will hate me for playing with her heart and hopes. _

_That makes sense. _She justifies to herself, falling back asleep. _That makes sense._

A single tear falls, as she realizes that nothing in her life would ever work out nicely. That was the cruel reality of being a Gilmore.


	2. Not looking back

**A/N- I don't even know how I feel about this chapter. I wasn't even planning on adding more to this, but there were so many follows I felt like I owed you. I hope you like it!**

* * *

"Luke." She whispers in the darkness. He doesn't stir from his place on the chair. In the darkness of her room she can see the contours of his face- his jaw coming up into his cheek and smoothing up into his forehead.

"Luke." She says louder. His eyes flutter open, and he looks around.

"Are you okay?" He says softly, his voice quiet from sleep.

"Come here." She says, acting on impulse and emotion.

She was laying on her side, her hands tucked under her pillow. He slowly walks over, kneeling on the floor next to her.

"Luke." She whispers for the third time tonight. One hand comes out from under the pillow and rests on his shoulder, and he knows what this is.

He stands, pulling away from her hand.

"Lorelai." He whispers. She pulls her feet up and he sits on the bed, pulling her up to sit next to him.

She suddenly feels very shy from him. Her ankles cross and she stares down at her red-painted toes. His arm wraps around her small body. She hadn't been eating much, even with Sookie's pushing, and she was thin and tiny.

It worried him.

"Luke, I was wrong." She said suddenly.

He wrongly takes this to mean she doesn't want to be with him now, and he unwraps his arm from her, and stands. "It's okay." He says, clearly upset.

"NO LUKE! She says, and he turns to look at her. Her brown hair is coming out of her ponytail in every direction, and her eyes are droopy, tired, and tear- streaked. "I meant mistakes about before, not now. Please," Her voice cracks and she sobbing now, wiping the tears on the sleeve of her plaid flannel pajamas. "Don't leave me alone."

He turns back and comes all the way into bed with her, hugging and rocking her like a child.

* * *

He was horrible.

How could he?

He was becoming his father. A horrible man that no one wants.

Chris sat in the dark apartment throwing back shots of whatever he could find that would get him drunk. Yes, he was mad at her. But he knew that he was wrong to hurt her.

He didn't want to think that he had waited twenty years for a woman just so he could hurt her.

He keeps seeing her face in his mind, so shocked and scared of him. He assumed he went to a friend's house, Sookie probably, when she ran off. He just left her to calm down. He needed to as well.

He wanted to tell himself that he could fix this and that she would forgive him, but he knew that was as far from the truth as he could possibly get.

* * *

Sleep wasn't enough to block out the horrors of the world.

She tossed around and cried in her sleep. He tried to let her sleep, because he knew she needed it, but he woke her at the screaming.

She NEVER did this while he was around. She had been so unhappy lately, and he was too mad at her to stop it from happening.

She came back from the bathroom and instantly dissolved back in his arms.

"Lorelai, I know there are things you don't want me knowing, but I need to ask."

She turns in his arms to face him and nods slowly. "Okay."

"Has this happened before? Him hurting you?"

She looks down at the sheets as she talks. "It was never as , I don't know how to say this… _purposeful…_only little things here and there that come off as accidents."

"But they weren't?" He asks.

Her voice is so soft. "No." He can barely hear her say. "They weren't."

He nods, and figures he will let this go until daylight, since it is three in the morning, but she isn't done.

She tugs in bottom of her shirt up and in the slowly rising sunlight he sees a few bruises across her stomach. Then she slips her pants off so she is in her blue striped panties, and he gasps a little.

Dotting her legs are at least a hundred bruises, and her hipbones were fully black and blue.

He squeezes his eyes shut and a few tears fall on his face. How could he have let this happen?

"Little accidents." She says, and he doesn't even want to know Christopher could have done all this to her. A man who claims to love her, goes and does all this to one of the most extraordinary women on the planet. He is outraged at Christopher and crying for her and it doesn't even catch him off guard when she lightly kisses his lips, because somehow he knew she would.

He wraps his arms around her again, and it isn't weird that she's in her panties. In some ways she is still the same person and in other ways she isn't herself at all.

"Are you sure?" He says, because he doesn't want to repeat the past. He doesn't ever want he to leave him.

"I'm not going back, Luke, I'm sure."

He leans forward and kisses her lightly, like she is made of the thinnest paper. His touch comforts her and she realizes that she needs time to settle things before Luke really knows that they are going to make it this time.

She just lets his arms be enough to keep her safe. They wait for morning wrapped together.

* * *

Come morning she makes coffee and sits by the phone. Christopher calls and she talks to him, sitting on the porch while Luke is in the shower. She tells him she can't. He tells her he was so wrong. She says it just wasn't meant to be. For the first time in his life, Christopher makes a really good choice. He lets her go, because he remembers everything they had been through and he knows all what she needs and he lets her go.

Luke comes back and she tells him everything. Unlike everything in her life, it wasn't dramatic or hard. They had come so far.

"I want a life with you, Luke Danes. And I don't feel rushed or worried I just feel ready."

"I know I love you. I have April, and you have Rory…"

"No. We have April and Rory, okay? Together baby."

"Together." He repeats. The sun rises and nothing is hard.

A car pulls up in the driveway, they both stand quickly. The door slams and she marches up to the house in a fit of anger.

* * *

**A/N- Let me know what you think! **


	3. Attacks and Zen

**A/N- I can't believe people are actually reading this! Keep the reviews coming, you guys are awesome.**

* * *

Luke stood first, and blocked her from the woman walking up the driveway. She looked like steam was going to come out of her ears, she looked ready to strike.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore! How could you? This is the last time you embarrass your father and I! We are THROUGH, do you hear me? I can't believe you did this."

Luke watched Lorelai's face cautiously, waiting to see her reaction. But all she did was take a deep breath.

"Emily, hi." She said.

"Don't you 'Emily, hi.' me. You finally had your act together! You were finally with Rory's father! Doesn't your own daughters' happiness mean anything to you? Then Chris comes to me this morning and tells me that you were through. I just couldn't believe my ears, no I couldn't!" Emily's hands and curled into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms.

"I do care about Rory." She says softly. "But Rory wants me to be happy. But I couldn't be happy with Chris and that is all." Lorelai turned slowly and walked into the house, letting the door close leisurely behind her.

"Lorelai!" Her mother screams. "I`m not done discussing this!" Luke watches as she throws a fit, standing on the front porch.

Lorelai leans against the pretty white door and tilts her head up to the ceiling. She knew that her mother would be upset, but she didn't think it would get to her this quickly. But it was okay. She wasn't even stressed about it. That was the key to being free from the Gilmore curse- she couldn't get stressed about things.

Emily turned to Luke. "YOU." She said, her perfectly manicured finger pointing to the middle of his chest. "YOU had something to do with this. You are the reason my daughter isn't with the father of her only child."

Luke crossed his arms over his flannel-covered chest. He didn't say a thing. Emily went on for another fifteen minutes and he just stood there, letting her scream. Finally she got in her expensive fancy car and drove away, and he opened the door. Lorelai was in the kitchen. She was sitting at the table, still in her pajamas, drinking coffee.

She looked up, and he tried to read her expression but came up blank, 'You want some?" She asks.

"No, I`m fine." He says. "Actually, I feel kind of drained. I just need to rest after all that."

"Yeah." She smiles nervously. "That's what the Gilmores do. They drain you until you have nothing. But we don't need them. You are my family now. You, April, Rory, Sookie…we have people, you see. We can make it."

"Your mother will always be a part of your life." Luke counters, knowing that she will deny it."

"She doesn't have to be." She says, staying calm.

Luke sensed something in her, some kind of 'Zen' spirit. Lorelai wasn't known for this! Thoughts scrambled through his head as she sat there, her hair a mess and her makeup not done. She looked beautiful, but this still wasn't her.

Lorelai was a fast-talking, always-moving, crazy-loving woman. Her words came out in tumbled sentences, like pouring spaghetti noodles from the pot and into the strainer. She was beautiful, and responsible but sometimes rushed and passionate. She cared, so deeply, about everything she did. She managed her life and when things got out of control she was strong enough to get past what hurt her. She was a woman with a smart head resting on solid shoulders, and she was everything he loved.

But this…this woman sitting at the table sipping coffee as if it didn't matter to her what she did as long as the sun was up and the world around her was peaceful. Luke was appropriately concerned, but he didn't want to ruin this.

He didn't want to lose her ever again, because he knew he wouldn't be able to take it. Every other woman he looked at had potential beauty in his eyes, like a blank coloring book. But Lorelai was not a coloring book. She was entirely stunning, with inside-and-out exquisiteness, like every painting of fields full of flowers and life all pushed together into this one woman. Her splendor was fulfilled in the acts she did for others, and he would never lose that. Even if it meant Emily showed up every day and screamed at him for eternity. Emily would leave eventually and Lorelai would stay and that was enough for Luke.

"When will we tell Rory?" He asked, instead of what was really on his mind.

"She will be home on Friday. We can tell her then, in person." She replied.

"What will you say about why Christopher is gone? Won't she need some kind of reason?"

"I don't know what I will say. But it doesn't matter, she will understand. She's Rory, after all. She's understood for twenty-two years now. " Lorelai shrugs and loops a strand of hair around her pointer finger.

He sits down at the table and takes her hand. "You know she will."

* * *

Telling Emily was something out of the way. He would let Lorelai tell Rory, it was a sign of respect. He knew that Rory would always side with Lorelai and she could tell her what she wanted to.

Chris knew one thing about his life: that he didn't deserve any of it. He didn't deserve all the money he had, the daughters he had, or the love he received. Loving Lorelai was supposed to happen once: when they were sixteen. Rory was supposed to happen.

But when in Paris? He didn't deserve the love she had given him in Paris.

And he didn't deserve the kisses or the time they had spent in bed. Everything she had ever given him, he didn't think he really, truly, deserved to have all that.

Chris didn't know where his life was supposed to be without Lorelai. But he knew he would figure it out eventually.

Maybe….

The thought struck his mind and he felt like his stomach was illuminating with possibility.

He grabbed his keys and didn't even lock the apartment door behind him.


	4. Strong Enough

**A/N- Another chapter done! Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming!**

* * *

It was a Thursday, and Lorelai Gilmore was nervous but excited for Friday. Rory would be coming, and she could tell her what happened.

She wouldn't mention why. That she had decided right off the bat. Rory didn't need to know the mistakes her father made. It would wreck the relationship they had and Lorelai REALLY didn't want that. Her main focus was informing Rory of what happened. That was all.

In the meantime today she did what she could to get her mind off it.

She woke up to Luke slipping out of bed. All they had done is gone to bed together, at this point. They hadn't kissed since that first night. He was careful to take things very slow, for both of them. He needed to keep his guard up until he was comfortable after last time they were together. She needed to heal from her marriage with Christopher before she rushed into something new.

He drove her to the diner and opened, pouring her the first cup of coffee for the day, and he made her chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries on top. He had known her for so long that asking what she wanted was completely unnecessary.

After Luke's she went to the pet store and picked out some new toys for Paul Anka, and got some more of his favorite treats. She went to Weston's to get a pastry and more coffee. Then she went to Doose's to get supplies for dinner.

She walked home, balancing the two grocery bags in her arms when Babette came running up to her. "Lorelai! Lorelai! Honey, I just heard the news your back with Luke! Oh, I just knew that you two weren't done I just…"

Lorelai's eyes glazed over, staring in the distance. Christopher was standing on the front lawn of her home, leaning against his car. She couldn't read the expression on his face.

Babette turned around, and her jaw opened. "Oh, honey I'll just leave you alone." She scurried off.

Lorelai walked into her house without looking at him. He followed her into the kitchen where she set down her grocery bags and turned to him.

"We agreed, Chris. You said you weren't going to come here."

"I know we had an agreement Lore but I just needed to say one last thing."

What?" Lorelai said, exploding in a fit of anger. "What could you possibly say to me that I don't already know? You hurt me Chris and yeah, the bruises will heal but I just can't okay….I just…" A few tears fell down her cheeks and she was trying so hard to hide them from him."

"I don't want you back." He says softly. "I just wanted to let you know that I am taking Gigi for a little vacation this summer. We are going to California to get some sunshine, and give you some distance from me. And…." he took a deep breath before continuing. "He isn't exactly superman, either Lore."

He looked in her blue eyes for a minute before turning and leaving. She stood there, statue-still while listening to his car start and drive away.

She clenched her fists for a minute, not really knowing what she was feeling. She felt like she was floating along and that everything was up-and-down but she didn't really know if that's actually what she felt or if it was just what she thought she should feel.

* * *

He drove along to his apartment, and dismissed the nanny early. Gigi had just gone down for her afternoon nap, so he used to time to call his lawyer and arrange the divorce. He knew immediately that he wasn't going to be picky and try and take things from her. He arranged to give her money instead. It was the least he could do.

When Gigi woke he gave her a snack, sliced apples and caramel, and asked her if she wanted to go on a trip. He told her they could go to Disney Land and the beach. Of course she was excited, so he called a travel agent and began setting that up.

After he got off the phone Gigi pulled him into the living room to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with her.

With his daughter curled up against him, he couldn't stop thinking about seeing Lorelai today. The bruises on her arms. He wished there was more he could do to apologize but he knew that he was living with this guilt forever.

It made him feel like crying, too.

* * *

When Luke came home that night, she was sitting on the couch watching TV, a pillow wrapped in her arms.

"Hey." He called softly, and she turned to see him.

"Hey!" She jumped up off the couch and ran to hug him. This was the happiest he had seen her yet. She was almost acting normal.

Her arms wrapped around his neck made him feel so sure. He touched her cheek and her expression changed.

He leaned forward and kissed her, and for a moment she was still before accepting it and kissing him back.

When they broke apart she smiled shyly. "I missed you today." He said, not sure why he was suddenly acting so sappy.

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I ordered Chinese food. It should be here soon."

"Lorelai?"

"Yeah?" Her voice is muffled from being buried in his flannel.

"I love you."

Her arms snaked up around his neck again, and she leaned forward to kiss him, but she didn't say anything.

"You don't have to say it back." He says, knowing she feels bad. "I understand that this has a lot of meaning for you and I don't want you to feel rushed. After all, it's still so soon and I don't want you to think that I am rushing you." His words are coming out so fast, and he silences when she lays her finger over his lips.

"I love you." Her words are so meaningful. He smiles and kisses her cheek, thinking maybe now they would be able to really start their relationship together.

The doorbell rings. They get their Chinese food and eat it with chopsticks on the sofa. This is the calm before the storm.

The night passes.

* * *

**A/N- Next chapter they are telling Rory! Please review and if you have any suggestions for the story and future chapters feel free to PM me and let me know!**


	5. The Only Daughter

**The doorbell rings and Lorelai uneasily picks herself up from the couch. She wonders if Rory will make a big deal out of it. She was so happy that her parents had gotten together and she didn't know anything about how Chris had been treating her. **

**Lorelai opens the door and Rory rushes in to hug her. It had been a while since she had a break from school and she often found herself missing her mom. **

**Lorelai wraps her arms around her daughter. "I missed you too." She says, feeling at ease again. She had been so nervous that she forgot it was RORY. The girl that had been her side, loving and supporting her for years. **

**Rory walks in and she notices it instantly. The lack of a Christopher vibe. No peach colored clothes in the laundry baskets, no shiny leather shoes in the entryway, and especially no Christopher. Instead, Luke was seated neatly at the kitchen table, looking uncomfortable with what was about to happen.**

**"Oh" the daughter says, understanding. She knew, somewhere, that the whole "parents together" thing wasn't going to last. She was close to her mother, she knew the details about her. Rory was the closest person to Lorelai in the world. She had insight to everything, from the type of poptarts she likes best to the things that make her smile (corny jokes are pretty high on the list). Rory beared witness to her mothers ups and downs, even when Lorelai tried to hide them. She could hear her crying in the shower and she could peak through her door to see her dancing in the kitchen. **

**And Luke was one of those things that made her dance around while toasting waffles in the morning. **

**Luke gave Rory an awkward hug and she smiled up at him. At the point in her life, 22 years old and not really needing her parents as often, she wasn't looking to Luke to be Christopher, in a fatherly sense. Partly because Christopher wasn't ever that much to her (yes she loved him and was excited to see him, but happiness did not revolve around him) and partly because Luke was the best father figure she ever had. He didn't need to try. He was there when she started Chilton, and he moved her things into her dorm when she got into Yale. He was what she needed. Not that she needed much. Lorelai was a super mother. She gave everything for her daughter, even now. They had their disagreements, but Rory loved her mother. And Lorelai had no regrets. She never punished herself for that 16 year old exploration of Chris. That night was pleasure, yes, but Rory was the last straw into escaping her parents house. It would've happened anyway, but she would have gotten lonely and irresponsible without her.**

**And for those years of selflessness, Lorelai deserved Luke.**

**Rory knew that without ever seeing or knowing about the bruises on her mothers body. There will always be things that a mother doesn't need her daughter to worry about. Things that are kept private so that Lorelai can care for Rory, no matter how old she gets. **

**The little family had dinner and they talked with exponential growth. First it was the little things, happenings at Yale, the diner, the inn. Then they moved to Logan, Sookie, and April. Then, by the time their plates were scraped clean and their wine glasses empty, they talked about personal stories and the meaning of love.**

**Everything Lorelai knew had been poured into Rory over the years, like the wine from the bottle into the crystal clear glass.**

**They both knew that being a Gilmore meant obligatory dinners, keeping score, and always having to fight. But moments like these, being with the people you love over something to simple as pasta, French bread, and wine made those Gilmore moments just a little more tolerable. They always had something to look forward to, and they always had each other to encourage them to keep growing.**

**And when Lorelai kissed Luke goodnight, she felt like she could fly. **


End file.
